Carsten Linnemann, deputy leader of the Christian Democratic Union and its sister party the Christian Social Union parliamentary group, spoke out in favour of postponing the enrolment of children at primary school who do not speak German well enough.
He told the Rheinische Post: “To put it in a nutshell: a child who barely speaks and understands German has no place yet in a primary school.”
Linnemann pointed out that children who don’t know German should learn it before they start school.
“This is where compulsory preschool education must take effect and, if necessary, school enrolment must be postponed,” he added. “This costs money, but lack of integration and inadequate education are much more expensive in the end.”
Linnemann said he feared the development of “new parallel societies” in Germany if there is not a larger focus on integration.
Integration is a political hot topic in Germany, a country that’s become increasingly polarized since Merkel’s decision to accept an influx of refugees in 2015.
Source: The Local
